Stranger than Fiction, Larger Than Life: the Finn Brothers song-by-song discussion thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Lance LaSalle, Jan 21, 2019.

  1. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    Thanks Lance! That was kind of exciting to hear that....I guess if we have to wait for a new album and we had to wait so long for this tour it is a nice payoff to hear some previews of new material...
     
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  2. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Our vote for Planet Sublime:

    4.1

    (Sorry for my own lack of enthusiasm about Phil's solo projects.)
     
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  3. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    This week, True Colours, New Colours.

    Spotify Link: True Colours, New Colours - The Songs Of Split Enz


    If you follow this video through to YouTube, you should get to a playlist of the album:


    True Colours, New Colours is a tribute album released on February 21st 2021. It features songs from Australian and Kiwi artists (I presume) covering the songs of True Colours, the 1980 album which is Split Enz's most commercially successful album. In a move specifically designed to annoy me, the record company (Warner Music Australia, which seems to have devoured acquiredMushroom many years ago) saw fit to release the album on only vinyl and digitally. But at least it's available digitally.

    It was also released with Eddie Rayner's excellent 40th Anniversary remix of True Colours, from 2020, which I have come to really enjoy more than David Tickle's original, more classic new Wave mix. And which was also released on CD.

    The tracklist:
    1. Shark Attack (Tim Finn) - Chelsey Jade
    2. I Got You (Neil Finn) -Shihad
    3. What's the Matter with You (N. Finn) - The Beths
    4. Double Happy (Eddie Rayner) -Dual
    5. I Wouldn't Dream of It (T. Finn) - Ladyhawke
    6. I Hope I Never (T. Finn) - Bernard Fanning
    7. Nobody Takes Me Seriously (T. Finn) - Lime Cordiale
    8. Missing Person (N. Finn) - Busby Marou
    9. Poor Boy (T. Finn) -Stan Walker
    10. How Can I Resist Her (T. Finn) - Robinson
    11. The Choral Sea (Rayner, Malcolm Green, N. Finn, Nigel. Griggs, Noël Crombie, T.Finn)- Pacific Heights
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2023
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  4. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Phil Judd – Flightless Bird

    This album was certainly very welcome when it was released. From an Enz-and-related point of view, I felt that 2018 was a fairly bleak year. Neil and Liam released their duo album, which at the time I was really underwhelmed by, feeling it was a real 1/5 album from start to finish (it has since progressed to now being a struggling-but-getting-there 3/5 album for me). It was announced that Neil had joined Fleetwood Mac, which I thought was very disappointing news and it perturbed me how Neil and even Liam spoke about this in terms of it being impossible to say no such an opportunity, as if Fleetwood Mac were some kind of gods and it was somehow a greater achievement to be a sidekick with them than anything Neil could achieve himself with his own music. Shortly after, the fan club was shut down after 38 years and while these two events possibly weren’t related, it felt from afar that the fan club had become redundant now that Neil was a full-time Fleetwood Mac member for all eternity. And Tim hadn’t released any album since 2011, with no sign of any new album on the horizon either. So it was great news that Phil was releasing a new album in 2019 - at least one of the former Enz guys was still creating new music. (Of course, both Neil and Tim have since released several new albums, but in 2019 it wasn’t obvious that this was going to happen) I listened a lot to Flightless Bird in 2019, in my opinion it was definitely one of the very best albums released that year.

    This Is Then & That Was Now
    Initially, this was intended to be the title track, but apparently Phil noted that those who heard the song had trouble saying the title correctly, so the album became Flightless Bird instead. “This Is Then & That Was Now” is a very strong album opener though, a mid-tempo quirky rocker with a catchy chorus. I can imagine that The Swingers would have sounded like this if they had still existed in 2019.

    Surrounded
    This mid-tempo song has an intensely ominous off-kilter feel about it. The lyrics portray a party girl who doesn’t have either friends or a significant other, instead she is surrounded by “if only” scenarios. A very ambiguous song, perhaps the narrator empathizes with her or perhaps he is mocking her for being superficial. It is not an immediate song but definitely one that rewards repeated listening.

    Flightless Bird
    In a way this track sounds like a natural continuation of the previous song, with a narrator feeling isolated socially and wishing things were different. I really like this song. It has a playful and almost theatrical feel with many details to discover and treasure in the instrumentation. Very catchy too.

    Lilydale Station
    A song about a young fictive (I assume) band, with the members all having different musical tastes and ideals. The line “They can’t decide on a sound but I’d call it funk ska metal glam trash pop” is funny. Again, there is ambiguity about the lyrics and as a listener I can’t say for sure if Phil is making fun of young image-conscious hipsters or if he expresses sympathy and support to young persons wanting to explore their creativity. It is a fun and catchy mid-tempo song and to my ears one of the album highlights.

    Topsy Turvy
    From afar, I get the impression that Phil likes to blend contrasts in his songs. The lyrics for this song are quite sad, about a narrator suffering from the lack of a love relationship in his life, while the music has an upbeat, optimistic energy. It is very effective, making the song quirky, reflective and catchy.

    This Moment
    Here the narrator is happy about finally, and unexpectedly, finding someone who loves him for who he truly is. The music, starting off with just acoustic guitar and vocals, is quite melancholic though, as if the narrator doesn’t dare to believe it could really be happening. I like how more and more layers of instruments are added to the song, a musical portrayal of how the relationship deepens and develops. A very strong track.

    New Wah-Wah
    The lyrics for this song are a bit odd, describing which guitars the narrator owns and how he now also has a new wah-wah pedal. I am not sure if the lyrics are intended to mock persons with a lot of music equipment who are more focused on that rather than their creativity or if it is simply, well, Phil singing a song about his new wah-wah pedal. Clocking in at two and a half minutes, it is the shortest song on the album and quite fascinating. The verses are very good, the chorus is buried beneath a lot of effects but I find this song to be a real ear-worm.

    One Of Those Days
    By Phil’s standards, this is one of his more conventional songs, with clear verses, bridges and choruses following each other. It’s a well-written mid-tempo rocker with well-written lyrics about a narrator hoping to find companionship. Some added quirky Phil-isms make the song worthy of repeated listening. A very solid album track.

    Give It A Go
    In this song, the narrator addresses himself, telling himself to stop sitting around doing nothing at home and instead embrace life and its opportunities. The music shifts between piano driven verses and more rocking parts, with quite catchy choruses in between. A fair few shifts in tempo and instrumentation gives the song a sense of being a bit unpredictable, truly taking its listeners on a rollercoaster ride. The illustration in the CD booklet shows two persons standing on top of the wing of an early 20th century plane, one of them possibly playing tennis and the other perhaps playing cricket. I think that intriguing image sums up the song very well.

    Fairy Dust
    If this album had been released by a major label, I can imagine this track being picked as the first single. It is an accessible, immediate and catchy love song that many can relate to and for those of us who already loves Phil’s music there are also the lovable off-kilter parts here and there to make the song special and unique, a song that nobody but Phil could have done. Definitely one of the album highlights.

    Talking To Myself
    This song has a start-stop feel that takes some getting used to but it is another song that rewards repeated listening. Possibly though it requires a bit more repeated listening than most other tracks, but it eventually reveals it qualities. As with most of Phil’s songs, there is a lot to discover in the backing track and it is amazing that Phil plays every instrument himself. It is a solid album track though it would have benefitted from being a bit shorter.

    Mono Into Stereo
    Rima Te Wiata, the lead vocalist on a few of the tracks on the ENZO Stranger Than Fiction album, sings backing vocals on this song. Their voices blend very well. Lyrically, I interpret it to be a love song, about unexpectedly finding one’s soul mate and starting a happy relationship. The music takes a lot of twists and turns, with the instrumentation shifting along the way. There’s a mandolin building a restrained vulnerability, vaudeville-ish piano parts and strings-sounding keyboards adding a kind of circus feel and gentle drumming keeping the beat. Musically there is much to discover and the song is a real grower.

    The Day Before Yesterday
    In the CD booklet, this song is illustrated with a picture that looks like an artistic photo from the early ‘70s of Phil with a mandolin and Tim with some sort of percussive instrument, sitting next to each other playing music under a bare tree in a rugged landscape. With that in mind, it is hard not to interpret that this song is about the two of them and their musical partnership and friendship back then. It is a very poignant and moving song, lamenting their lost friendship. The lines “Can we please go back to where we came unstuck / pick up all the pieces and with just a little luck / we’ll be side by side makin’ music again” speak volumes. Built up by layers of acoustic guitar and mandolin, it is a sad and haunting but also beautiful and heartfelt song, one of the album highlights.

    2KINDSofLONELY
    This is a very very weird song, even by Phil’s standards. It is a semi-instrumental built around a lot of distortion and musical effects, some wordless singing and then the lines “There’s only 2 kinds of lonely / there’s lonely… / and f—king lonely”. Not exactly a cheery way to end the album but it somehow a bit strangely fascinating.

    Flightless Bird finds Phil’s unique creativity in full bloom. With no bad tracks it is one of Phil’s very best albums, one that I keep returning to. Highly recommended!

    4,7/5 (the thank you list: 5+/5)
     
  5. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Flightless Bird actually, Planet Sublime is the next Phil album... :)
     
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  6. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Wait,
    Wait, this was supposed to be Flightless Bird!

    So for the record, the votes are:

    4-1
    5-1
    Average: 4.4
     
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  7. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Yes, I've just noticed. Which means that I've done True Colours, New Colours too early, I think. I'll do Planet Sublime next week.
     
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  8. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Chronologically it is correct. The tribute album was released in 2020 and Planet Sublime in 2021.
     
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  9. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    As for True Colours, New Colours, I just happened to listen to this yesterday as part of my normal cycle of listening (I cycle through about 3000 songs over a period of about three months.) What a coincidence!

    I actually quite enjoy True Colours New Colours...of course I love the songs already and I am glad that an album which, in the USA, anyway is relatively obscure got a tribute album. And it's nice to hear some covers of Finn songs that are off the beaten path of the safe classics that turned up on the He Will Have His Way/She Will Have Her Way tribute albums.

    The sound is of course atrocious but largely bearable -- save for "Double Happy." That is so brickwalled and so badly done it just sounds painfully distorted.

    I really like what these groups and singers have done with most of these songs. "I Hope I Never" betters the original, in my opinion, and "The Choral Sea" is made really groovy and cool here. Some of the covers stay a little too close to the original for my taste (what's the point of that) but overall, the songs stand strong and this is a highly enjoyable album.

    3.9/5
     
  10. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    True Colours, New Colours
    I remember listening to this when it was first released and enjoying parts of it and other parts not so much. The thing is with a tribute album, I like the cover to bring something new to the table. And in that respect, I think this album does a great job of it.

    Shark Attack as an electro-pop atmosphere is very good. Totally different take on this manic classic. (Chelsea Jade - Wikipedia )
    I do like the amped up (in more ways than one) version of What's the Matter with You by The Beths. (The Beths - Wikipedia )

    I love the instrumentals on True Colours anyway. So I like the versions here. Double Happy sounds less brittle and more muscular, and I love that fade out (I'm clearly not bothered by brickwalling). I like the different direction taken by Pacific Heights for The Choral Sea. It's actually more like it was sampled and incorporated into a new piece of music. Actually in some ways, these instrumentals sound quite at home in the present day.

    I Hope I Never - I love how Bernard Fanning has really leaned into the theatrical nature of the song. It's a great cover version. Probably the best song on the entire album.

    I quite like the take on Nobody Takes Me Seriously - the guys in Lime Cordiale are turning around the song from being a bit of a pity party and making it a bit more of a shrug and something to celebrate. It's quite funny and is very much in keeping with their style. To my ears it heads into a reggae-lite territory (actually surprised that there weren't any trumpet/trombones in it which they normally have in their songs).

    Stan Walker does a great version of Poor Boy. Lovely vocal. Would be interested to know if he's ever thought about doing a Maori language version of that song.

    All in all, I think this is a strong tribute album. In many ways better than the "They Will Have Their Way" tribute albums (which tended to be a bit reverential). Here, I think a lot of the artists have taken a bit of a risk to reshape the songs into their own styles and it works really well.

    4/5

    (Edit: It is supremely annoying that it's only available via vinyl or digital...)
     
  11. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    True Colours, New Colours

    It is nice to know that there are now three tribute albums to Tim and Neil. I think True Colours, New Colours has an intriguing approach – rather than just a tribute album featuring covers of the most well-known hits here we get a tribute to the full album, with artists from very different genres. It takes its listeners on quite a musical ride and in the best possible way it never feels predictable.

    Chelsea Jade – Shark Attack
    I hadn’t heard of Chelsea Jade before this tribute album was released. She is a NZ artist who has released two albums which I have just started to listen to at Spotify. Her cover of “Shark Attack” is very good and very different from the original version. The original’s frantic energy has been replaced by a dreamy, detached synth-based pop feel. It works surprisingly well, I really like her re-interpretation of the song.

    Shihad – I Got You
    NZ hard rock band Shihad has been around for just over 30 years and are highly successful at home, with six of their albums reaching #1 there in recent years. They’ve also had numerous hit singles in New Zealand. I quite like the edgy feel of their version of “I Got You” but in a way I wish it rocked even harder. Such as it is, yes it rocks and the electric guitars are distorted and so on, but it also comes across as a bit too safe to my ears.

    The Beths – What’s The Matter With You
    I like that the bands on this tribute album are so different in style from each other. Like Shihad, NZ group The Beths approach this from a harder rocking perspective, but they sound nothing like Shihad. Here we get this song done as a almost punky power rock version, with a seemingly ever-increasing tempo and layers of electric guitars. I like lead vocalist Elizabeth Stokes’ voice and the backing vocal harmonies.

    Dual – Double Happy
    A fascinating aspect of a tribute album devoted to a full album is that by default somebody has to do a cover of the deep cuts as well. If it wasn’t for this tribute album, I doubt that anyone would ever have dreamed up the idea of doing a cover of “Double Happy”. It is a quite straight-forward version with some very nice guitar playing.

    Ladyhawke – I Wouldn’t Dream Of It
    One of the joys of these tribute albums is that they can be a very good way to discover artists and groups that one hasn’t heard before. Thanks to the She Will Have Her Way tribute album I discovered the incredibly talented artists Sarah Blasko and Sally Seltmann (New Buffalo), checked out their own albums and have been following their releases ever since. With True Colours, New Colours, the biggest discovery was without doubt NZ artist Ladyhawke. Split Enz’s original version of “I Wouldn’t Dream Of It” has never been among my top 10 favourites by them or anything like that, but it sounds really special in Ladyhawke’s version, with a sound that sounds both futuristic and retro at the same time. I checked out her debut album on Spotify and was totally wowed and quickly bought all of her albums. During the pandemic, I discovered many artists and groups that were new to me and I have to say that Ladyhawke was a truly great find. Her debut album is definitely one of the very best albums I have heard in recent years. In fact, all four of her albums are top notch – I highly recommend starting with her debut album and then listening to the others in chronological order. She is touring the UK in June/July, I envy everyone who will be at these shows! (Web page: Time Flies - Ladyhawke (ladyhawkemusic.com))

    Bernard Fanning – I Hope I Never
    Bernard Fanning is best known as the lead singer of the group Powderfinger who were one of the support acts at Crowded House’s huge “Farewell to the World” show back in 1996. He has also released four solo albums. This cover really surprised me in a very good. I guess I was expecting a kind of semi-grunge version of the song, a song I am not super keen on to begin with. Instead Fanning has done a re-interpretation with different instrumentation and some added twists and turns in the arrangement. It is almost like a new song. If the original version had been done by the 1975 Split Enz I imagine the arrangement could have been similar to this one. Bernard Fanning’s version is definitely one of the highlights on this tribute album.

    Lime Cordiale – Nobody Takes Me Seriously
    Australian duo Lime Cordiale is a really special group. I really like their quirky re-interpretation of “Nobody Takes Me Seriously” with its kind of synth-based ska/reggae-ish feel. It is not really representative of what they usually sound like, but on the other hand they are very versatile. I first heard them on this album and then listened more to them after the great @KangaMom recommended them at another forum. I then went to their gig in Stockholm in October last year. And what an incredible gig it was – they played a tiny club that was crammed to its capacity with everyone in the audience loving every song to bits. The two members, Oli and Louis Leimbach, took turns at being the frontman, with very different stage personas but both oozing charisma, energy and self-deprecating humour. They had a great band too. Lime Cordiale was discovered by Iva Davies of Icehouse, they have recorded a Split Enz song for this tribute album and they have also written a tribute song to Colin Hay (titled “Colin”, featuring the man himself singing a verse – the video clip ends with them arriving at Colin’s home: Lime Cordiale - Colin (Official Music Video) - YouTube). All very good credentials in my book! Lime Cordiale are in fact starting a UK tour on Friday (12th May) and will then tour the States in July/August before returning to Europe/UK in August and September. Make every effort to go to one of their shows – I have made sure I got a ticket for their show in Stockholm on September 11. (Web page: lime cordiale)

    Busby Marou – Missing Person
    With this track, duo Busby Marou has recorded their second cover of a Neil song. They were also on the He Will Have His Way tribute album with their version of “Better Be Home Soon”. This is a very good rendition of “Missing Person”, with the piano leading the way and a retro sounding guitar solo adding a lot of character. I also like how their voices blend. A really special version that makes me curious to hear more of their own music.

    Stan Walker – Poor Boy
    Stan Walker was the winner of the 2009 Australian Idol and has since enjoyed a very successful career in Australia and New Zealand. He has a very soulful voice and I really like his rendition of “Poor Boy”, dressing up the song in a reggae-ish arrangement. It really works very well.

    Robinson – How Can I Resist Her
    I am not familiar with NZ artist Anna Robinson’s own music, but she did a fine job with this song with just her voice and an acoustic guitar. It seems she has only released singles so far, but based on this cover I will definitely check out her own music. (Web page: Robinson | The Official Website (robinsonofficial.com))

    Pacific Heights – The Choral Sea
    Pacific Heights is the alter ego of NZ electronica artist, producer and songwriter Devin Abrams who I believe is quite successful within his field. I haven’t heard his own music, but his re-interpretation of “The Choral Sea” is interesting. It is very different from the original, almost like a new song. A cool way to end the album, both in 1980 and on this tribute album.

    I think all artists and groups involved did a splendid job re-interpreting the songs and adding their own personalities to the songs, they didn't just record carbon copies of the originals which sometimes (often) can be the case when cover songs are recorded.

    After this album, it would be great if a record company was encourages to follow this template and release more tribute albums to other Split Enz albums. I’d love to hear an equivalent tribute album to Dizrythmia, for instance – it would be fascinating to hear how new/contemporary artists re-interpret those songs.

    4,4/5
     
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  12. InTheMinorKey

    InTheMinorKey Forum Resident

    Location:
    CANADA
    Not going to vote on the cover album. I've listened to a couple of the songs, but I will always prefer original songs by the original artist. It's hard to vote comparing the tracks to the already top-notch versions on the True Colours album. And why mess with perfection anyway? Lol

    --/5
     
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  13. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    A good reminder to me to buy my ticket to go see them in July! I've been meaning to do that! They are indeed an excellent band live - so I second @StefanWq motion that if you have a chance to see them, do so! They very much remind me of Split Enz in terms of presentation. Costumes, kind of a theatrical bent, and they make all their own art work for their album covers, merch. Oli and Louis are very talented and I believe their mother is also a professional musician (cello, I believe).
     
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  14. InTheMinorKey

    InTheMinorKey Forum Resident

    Location:
    CANADA
    While I wasn't that impressed by Lime Cordiale's Split Enz cover; I found their music videos on YouTube pretty cool, catchy smart music and highly entertaining. Definitely worthwhile to know more about them. I'll check out their latest album to see if it sticks. :) Thanks for the tip guys...
     
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  15. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    14 Steps to a Better You is a very good album. Incredibly consistent.
     
  16. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Our votes for True Colours, New Colours

    1-0
    2-0
    3-0
    4-3
    5-0
    Average: 4.1
     
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  17. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    This week's album is Planet Sublime, by Phil Judd.
    [​IMG]

    Another largely self-written, self-played,self-produced self-released project from Phil Judd which came out in April 2021. Comes with 16 page booklet with Phil's glorious artwork.

    Bandcamp link:
    PLANET SUBLIME ~ 2021 solo album, by Phil Judd

    Tracklist:
    1. Love in the Space Age
    2. Magic Roundabout
    3. Planet Sublime
    4. Mystified
    5. Pear-Shaped
    6. Join The Club
    7. Medication
    8. ****faced
    9. All A Dream
    10. Not A Day
    11. You Never Know
    12. In Harmony
    13. Combat Boots
     
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  18. drewrclv9

    drewrclv9 Forum Resident

    Planet Sublime is not a particularly strong album, but it does have its moments. In my opinion, it's Phil's weakest solo release, and probably his weakest release solo/band/duo regardless. Just a lot of uneventful, low-quality stuff here. There still manages to be a handful of highlights, but the consistency we heard on previous albums is lacking with this release.

    Love in the Space Age
    Yikes. This is terrible. Undoubtedly Phil's worst ever opener, and one of his worst songs. It's an assault on the ears in every way. Like nails on a chalkboard.

    1/5

    Magic Roundabout

    After the dreary, 'strangely avant-garde-but-not-really' opener, we have some melodies and structure back. This is more akin to what I expect/like to hear from Phil. Not super strong, but a nice, breezy piece of pop with some folksy elements.

    3.5/5

    Planet Sublime

    Some cool elements to this song. Phil's vocal is awful, but it's still a pretty cool song.

    3/5

    Mystified

    I'd like to like this song, but it's just not that great. Phil's vocal, again, is dreadful (probably on purpose), which takes me out of whatever nice sounds/melodies that do exist.

    2.5/5

    Pear-shaped

    Yep, nope. Another song that just doesn't cut it for me. This just doesn't seem like the guy that created the music on Novelty Act.

    2/5

    Join the Club

    This is a good one. It's a little aimless, but the sound that's going on is sublime (pun intended... I think). Great guitars, some strong melodies, and the way the song progresses is nice. Like I said, it still feels a tad unfocused at times, but it's still a song I'd consider a highlight.

    4/5

    Medication

    Now this is an album highlight. I like this track a lot. From the enz-y intro to the twisted sound that follows, this is peak Phil. Lyrically humorous at times, though it never really becomes like a novelty song or anything. Definitely a big highlight; I wish there was more stuff like this on the album.

    4.7/5

    ****faced
    (EDIT: hahaha I actually typed this out as if it wasn't going to get censored. It slipped my mind to self-censor it like I usually do :D)
    Another album highlight. This is more like a novelty song. In a good way, though, because this is, again, peak Phil. Great guitar with the dark verses, that then transitions into more of a wacky, lopsided chorus. Both are great, and the whole thing is just a joy to listen to. It's a little too wacky at times, perhaps, but I still really like it.

    4.5/5

    All A Dream

    Decent. Good verses and big drum sound on this. Not a great chorus, though.

    3.3/5

    Not a Day

    This is not bad. A little too melancholy or something, but it's a pretty quality track. Some of the strongest melodies on the album.

    3.7/5

    You Never Know

    This is reminiscent of the Swingers, though it doesn't seem like the quality of those days is heard here. It's not terrible, because it does have that sound to it. It just sounds generic and like a resurrected Swingers b-side or scrapped track.

    3/5

    In Harmony

    Always love scathing political/social commentary in music. Definitely not a concept that's overdone at this point. I'm not even sure what Phil's exactly even going for here, but I know I'm all politic'd out at this point. Like, I don't go and listen to music to hear all that, personally. Also, Phil's off-key vocal is on a whole 'nother level of unlistenable here.

    2/5

    Combat Boots

    Well, at least we're ending on a high note! Mostly, at least. This is quite a great song, though the one gripe I have is that the vocal in the chorus is just straight annoying. Like, I don't know who's singing there, but they... shouldn't be singing there. Or anywhere. Maybe it's Phil with a wacky effect or something, who knows. It's what prevents this song from getting a higher score from me, though. Still a solid track.

    4/5


    Overall, not great, but there are just enough tracks here to keep it from being an album I truly dislike. It's just quite low-quality a lot of the time, and it seems unbecoming of Phil to have an album sound like that. All my personal opinion, of course. I still have a lot of respect for Phil's work and general quality consistency over the years, and I do look forward to hearing his new album soon.

    3/5
     
  19. InTheMinorKey

    InTheMinorKey Forum Resident

    Location:
    CANADA
    So I had the "good fortune" to bave to pull a couple of overnights at work. A couple of cups of coffee and Phil Judd's Planet Sublime on Bandcamp. Played each song a couple of times and made a few first impression notes. So here we go:

    Space Age
    Starts up pretty decent. Vocals are not as terrible as I had dreaded from some of the descriptions on this forum. That being said: it's no Finn vocal. The song itself got a nice flow/groove to it.
    3.5/5

    Magic Rounabout

    Musically quite an uplifting track. There are spots here that Phil's vocals are going off the rails. I'm trying not to let that influece the rating too much. Not bad, not good. Continues from the opening track.
    3.5/5

    Planet Sublime

    This song rocks a little more. More uptempo. I quite liked it. Second song to have the "out in space" theme going again. It is a bit catchy and some of the lyrics were quite funny (bonus!)
    4/5

    Mystified

    Much slower effort from the previous song. Rated it lower. At least it didnt put me to sleep alltogether. :)
    3.25/5

    Pear-shaped

    Not a great first impression on this one. A bit too theatrical for my liking. Definitely a dip in the album from the first three songs.
    3/5

    Join The Club

    Even though the lyrics here are good, it depressed the hell out of me. Especially the first part where Phil sings about his children. Wow. There is some nice guitar strumming here as well. I did also make a note that musically the songs are (a bit too much?) alike. I guess I had expected more diversity from the main songwriter of the first two Split Enz classics. Better effort here though.
    4/5

    Medication

    Shorter song that feels like filler to me. Just doesn't do it for me.
    3/5

    S**t-faced

    Interesting title. Though the song is not nearly as interesting. The chorus is just awful and uninspired.
    2.5/5

    All A Dream

    Good thing Phil follows it up.with this one. It's a nice enough song and I liked the whistling part. Not a classic though.
    3.5/5

    Not A Day

    For me this is the album highlight. Decent vocals (yes Phil can sing if he wants to), a quieter song with a good catchy chorus.
    4.25/5

    You Never Know

    Going from the best, to one of the weaker songs. Somehow the chorus annoyed me. A so-so song.
    3/5

    Harmony

    This has a lot (thematically) in common with Crowded House "Whatever You Want". That said. It's an OK.song - nothing too special though.
    3.25/5

    Combat Boots

    Good upbeat album closer. Vocals are OK. I quite liked it.
    3.75/4

    Overall this is a decent album. Minus one song, there are no real clunkers on it. But, Phil's vocals are a bit much a full album. With better vocals many of these songs could have hit the 4 to 5 mark. It is also clear that this album needs a band. It is a shame that a talent like Phil is playing all the instruments all by himself with no additions or input from other musicians, which again - could have improved his compositions.

    Last addition. I don't think that Phil is deliberately singing off-key on certain songs. No self-respecting artist would make a habit out of that. Rather I think that some of his compositions just demand a better vocal that he can't quite pull off himself. I also think that Tim has (recently) been smarter to tailor his songs to his declining singing ability, so mostly he still delivers a decent to good vocal.

    I rate Planet Sublime:
    3.5/5
     
    drewrclv9, StefanWq and KangaMom like this.
  20. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Eddie Rayner just announced a new album from Space Waltz called Victory. It should be available on streaming services... It's definitely out on CD and "vinyl soon." Not sure if that's only Down Under, or what.

    As tomorrow I'm going to hold up Another Life (also from Eddie -- last year) as the Other Enz album of the week, I'll then hold up Victory in about three weeks...
     
  21. Lance LaSalle

    Lance LaSalle Prince of Swollen Sinus Thread Starter

    Also, Eddie responded to a query about a Forenzics tour with
     
  22. KangaMom

    KangaMom Queen of the Quokkas

    Thank you @Lance LaSalle for sticking with this thread and accommodating all these extra albums. I realize that this might be a lot less interesting to you. Mostly we're all holding on waiting for the new CH album and waiting to see if Tim will ambush us with any new albums. It is rather greedy of us - given how much new stuff we got over the last few years...
     
  23. InTheMinorKey

    InTheMinorKey Forum Resident

    Location:
    CANADA
  24. InTheMinorKey

    InTheMinorKey Forum Resident

    Location:
    CANADA
    Now for the "greedy" people. The last four Tim related albums were released on average 194 days inbetween albums. AT was released on March 31, 2023. So I calculated that the new Forenzics album will roll in around October 10, 2023.

    :)
     
    KangaMom, Lance LaSalle and StefanWq like this.
  25. StefanWq

    StefanWq Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallentuna, Sweden
    Phil Judd – Planet Sublime

    2021… the second year of the pandemic and I spent most of the year working from home. At the time, it sometimes felt as if the pandemic would go on and on for years to come, so it was very good that Phil as well as Crowded House and Tim Finn & Phil Manzanera released albums of new music. It is now nearly 50 years since Phil’s recording career started – quite a remarkable achievement! – and it is great that he is staying creative and put so much heart and soul to making music, always following his own unique artistic vision.

    Love in the Space Age
    I find this track to be too busy for its own good. There is a good song at the core of this track, but to my ears it has too many layers. A more minimalistic approach would have worked better for this track, I think.

    Magic Roundabout
    Following a dramatic intro, a quirky but accessible track follows. As ever with Phil’s songs, there are a lot of details and nuances to discover in the instrumentation. There’s an upbeat energy about the music that is very appealing. In particular the guitar parts make the song shine. The lyrics describes the joy of finding a box full of tapes of 400 episodes of a favourite TV show from the ‘70s and watching them again, but ultimately realizing that they don’t make the same impact in the present. I interpret it as a metaphor of moving on in life and how some things perhaps should remain as just nice memories.

    Planet Sublime
    In the lyrics for this song, space travel to a private sanctuary serves as a metaphor (as I interpret) for a couple in a relationship finding their own private universe, so to speak. (The lyrics also mention “Katherine wheels”). The music takes several twists and turns, taking its listeners on a real musical journey, one that stays fascinating and give vivid images of how that space journey might feel like. At the core of the song there is a strong melody that rewards repeated listening.

    Mystified
    Long-time cohort Miles Golding plays violin on this track. It is always a treat to hear Phil and Miles make music together again and this track certainly lives up to the high expectations based on their previous collaborations. The blend of Phil’s acoustic guitar and almost fragile voice with Miles’s violin capture the narrator’s confusion regarding a significant other’s behaviour very well. Here’s hoping the soon to be released Phil album will also feature a collaboration or two with Miles!

    Pear Shaped
    Speaking of treats, another one is hearing Phil play mandolin again which he does on this track. It has a vaudeville-ish feel in the verses and a strong, quite poppy chorus. Definitely one of the album highlights.

    Join The Club
    This track starts off with acoustic guitar and atmospheric keyboards before gradually building in complexity and intensity. The lyrics seem addressed to a specific person, with children that the narrator hasn’t met but would like to, regretting that he and this person have been estranged due to things that happened in the past. The music has a blend of sadness and some optimism and hope, so perhaps there is a chance that the narrator and this person will re-connect eventually.

    Medication
    To my ears, the backing track for this track is too busy for its own good. As a listener I feel almost exhausted when the song has finished. It has grown a bit since I first heard the album, but only very slowly. I never skip it though and it works quite well within the album context. Thea Bodourian adds backing vocals on this track.

    Sh-tfaced
    A song rich in complexity and layers, yet also built on a foundation of a strong melody and catchy chorus. It is really amazing that Phil plays all the instruments himself and give songs such a full sound. I hear the lyrics as being about feeling left out as others go to a party that the narrator isn’t invited to (or declined). In a way it is a very dark song but it also has a kind of celebratory feel to it. To my ears it is a very accessible and quite humourous song that also keeps sounding more intriguing for each listen.

    All A Dream
    Thea Bodourian sings backing vocals on this track. Her and Phil’s voices sound very good together. In the CD booklet, this song is illustrated with a photo of Bones Hillman and Buster Stiggs from the original line-up of The Swingers. Sadly, Buster died in 2018 and Bones in 2020. The album is in fact dedicated to them. This is a poignant song filled with both sadness from the loss of them and joy of happy times shared together. I imagine that this is what The Swingers could have sounded like in 2021 if circumstances were different and I think it is a great tribute to Bones and Buster. It is one of the very best tracks on the album.

    Not A Day
    This song sounds like a natural continuation of “All A Dream”. The lyrics portray a narrator going on a train ride to take his broken heart on a joy ride, reminiscing about the time spent with another person. I think it is more about a lost love than anything else, but like the previous song it deals with loss. Musically it is fairly conventional by Phil’s standards, but thanks to his commitment to each instrument and to the singing it becomes special and unique.

    Ya Never Know
    To my ears, this track sounds like something The Swingers could have recorded back in the day, an off-kilter power pop song. Specifically, it makes me think of their song “Distortion” for some reason. The songs are not that similar, more like musical cousins than musical twins, but there is something about the energy and spirit of this song that makes me connect the two songs. I really like both songs, by the way.

    In Harmony
    In the CD booklet, this song is illustrated with a painting of a guy in a green t-shirt and camouflage paint in his face, holding a rifle and standing in a room full of weapons. It is an image that looks very unpleasant and makes me think of extremists who go on shooting sprees in shopping malls or schools. It makes the song title, and the actual feel of the quite harmonious music, come across as sarcastic. I interpret the lyrics to be anti-extreme right wing persons and how their actions threaten both people and the planet itself. A very strong track with a very strong melody.

    Combat Boots
    The lyrics for this song were co-written by Thea Bodourian, who also sings backing vocals on it. Again, her and Phil’s voices blend very well. While the title would seem to connect this song to the previous one, I interpret this one to be a love song full of warmth and humour, about a couple meeting in rehab. A very fun and catchy upbeat song and a great album closer.

    Planet Sublime is another strong album by Phil. I guess for new fans it may not be the one to start with (Flightless Bird, Play It Strange and/or Mr. Phudd & His Novelty Act would be better options for new fans, in my opinion), but for those of us who really appreciates Phil’s music it is an album that keeps growing for each listen. I fully understand that his music, and his voice, is not for everyone – it is very hard to enjoy any album if one doesn’t like the lead vocalist’s voice no matter how good the songs might be. As it happens, I have no problems with Phil’s voice – I think it has a really unique character that makes his songs more special – and over the years I have found that his albums very much reward repeated listening. I am looking forward to Phil’s next album and will definitely buy it on the day of release.

    4,3/5
     
    drewrclv9, InTheMinorKey and KangaMom like this.

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